GENOCIDE MEMORIAL IN SW RWANDA VANDALIZED

UNCLAS KIGALI 000306

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, DS/IP/AF AND DS/DSS/ITA.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV RW
SUBJECT: GENOCIDE MEMORIAL IN SW RWANDA VANDALIZED



1. (U) Summary. In early morning on 23 March a hand
grenade was used to vandalize a Genocide Memorial Site near
the border town of Cyangugu. The unidentified perpetrators
were driven off by GOR security forces without causing
extensive damage to the site. Few additional facts are
available but GOR authorities suspect local supporters of the
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR),
recently released prisoners and/or gacaca suspects and note
that incidents of vandalism and violence against genocide
survivors are not uncommon during this time of year due to
the increased tension during the annual period of mourning.
End summary.


2. (U) According to an RSO source with close ties to Rwandan
security services, at approximately 01h00 local time a hand
grenade was tossed at a memorial containing the remains of
over 2,000 genocide victims in Gashonga Sector, Rusizi
District, Western Province. The vandals reportedly lobbed at
least one hand grenade at the memorial before being fired at
and chased off by local defense forces (LDF) personnel who
were guarding a nearby bank. (Note. The LDF is a local
militia used by the GOR to augment the Rwandan National
Police (RNP). End note.) There were no casualties and the
perpetrators avoided capture however, they reportedly left
behind a five liter gerrycan of gasoline and matches.


3. (SBU) On 26 March, a Presidential Advisor told poloff that
this kind of act was not unusual in the weeks leading up to
the period of mourning and may have been committed by
individuals implicated in gacaca or local Rwandans with ties
to the FDLR. He added that the GOR expected more incidents
of vandalism and attacks on survivors and gacaca witnesses.
Although the pro-government English daily "The New Times"
reported that "Rwandan insurgents operating from the DRC"
were responsible, all GOR sources contacted by emboffs
thought the perpetrators were most likely from, and still
located in, the immediate area.


4. (SBU) Comment. The annual week of mourning, 7-14 April,
is always tense in Rwanda. Factors that will likely
aggravate the tension this year include the February release
of approximately 7,000 prisoners accused of genocide crimes
and the start of nationwide gacaca hearings in July 2006.
After this act of vandalism, as with other such incidents,
Rwandan officials, reacting in a generally composed and
resolute manner, noted that genocide ideology is alive and
well in the country. End comment.
ARIETTI